Eagles Brandon Graham, Vinny Curry look to outplay trade rumors

PHILADELPHIA — The first rumor was Brandon Graham and a draft pick to the Miami Dolphins for Dion Jordan, who rushed the quarterback for Eagles head coach Chip Kelly during their days at Oregon.

Then defensive end Vinny Curry reportedly was on the trade block.

Maybe it’s a coincidence, but the Eagles drafted a rush linebacker in Marcus Smith with their first pick in the recent NFL draft and added a prototype 3-4 defensive end, Taylor Hart, in the fifth round.

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While Kelly and the Eagles talk about competition, Graham and Curry have been left answering questions about their respective futures.

It was disconcerting enough for Graham to give up bachelorhood and marry a woman who also put him on a sensible diet. It’s been a true win-win.

Graham feels fast and confident at 265 pounds. The 2010 first-round draft pick suspects the Eagles haven’t given up on him, although he hasn’t gotten any reassurances from Kelly.

“No, I don’t talk about it. It’s not my place,” Graham said Thursday. “I feel like they want me here. Shoot, I mean, I’m still here. All the rumors or whatever it is, that’s just rumors. I felt like if it was something they wanted to do I would have been gone.”

Graham feels the lighter weight will allow him to drop into coverage and play faster than last season, when he was close to 280 pounds. When Graham came out of Michigan he was widely projected as a rush linebacker in a 3-4 defense. Ironically Jordan, a 3-4 rush linebacker, has bulked up to play defensive end with the Dolphins.

“There’s no pressure no more,” Graham said. “I’m good. I know what I can do. And I can’t wait to just go out there and show it because I really want to be here. I really love Philadelphia. I made it my home. I want to end my career here if I can.”

Curry is frustrated partly because he has no control over reports he doesn’t fit the Eagles’ scheme.

“Who makes that stuff up?” Curry said. “That’s the biggest thing. It seems like guys on the outside know more than the players. Everybody still is coming to work, going out there and competing. I don’t want to say it’s distracting. It’s only distracting when the home team, our media talks about it all the time.”

Kelly suggested the trade talk about Graham and Curry was exaggerated and that it wasn’t necessary to allay that to the players.

“If I had to talk to our guys every time I read something wrong, I wouldn’t be able to diagram a play,” Kelly said.

At the same time it’s no secret teams have inquired about obtaining the services Graham and Curry, the 2012 second-round pick out of Marshall. Their ability to focus will be tested throughout the offseason in light of the direction the Eagles went in the draft.

The Eagles spent a lot of time explaining why they traded back in the first round; because they felt they could pick up another draft choice and still get the pass rusher they targeted in Smith. Additionally, Kelly mentioned that he would have been happy taking Hart off the board in the third round. Obviously the Eagles think a lot of those youngsters.

Graham conceded the addition of Smith “definitely put another chip” on his shoulder.

“It’s all about competition,” Graham said. “We’re going to make each other better. I definitely know that everybody at the end of the day won’t be here. I feel like we are competing for a job. And if it’s here or elsewhere I’m definitely not shying away from competition.”

Kelly, for his part, said Graham fits the Eagles’ scheme. When the answer branched out, it gave the impression Graham still wasn’t safe.

“Yeah, I think he obviously has the skill set to rush the passer and set the edge,” Kelly said. “And when he’s been in there, he’s been productive. The issue is that the other guy’s really productive, too. How many times can you get them all on the field together? If you put Brandon in, do you take Trent (Cole) out? If you put Brandon in, do you take Connor (Barwin) out?

It’s really the pecking order. I think both our depth at outside linebacker, we’ve added to it by adding Marcus Smith and Bryan Braman. But I feel confident we’re better at that position right now than we were a year ago because of who we’ve added.”

Graham is on his third defensive coordinator. He produced three of his 11.5 career sacks in limited duty under Billy Davis.

“Chip is a great coach,” Graham said. “Coach Davis is definitely a great coach, too. I feel like I definitely would want to give them everything I can so they know I should be safe on this team.

“But if not, hey man, somebody is going to get something good. But I know I really want to be here.”

As far as Curry, who registered four sacks last year, is concerned, the best way to handle trade rumors is with a sense of humor.

“You just laugh it off,” Curry said. “Whoever started these rumors obviously knows more than the players. So you’ve just got to laugh that stuff off.”